driftfleet | ✧ 01

Who: Kaidan Alenko
Broadcast: Fleetwide
Action: Marsiva
When: Today

Action

[Kaidan doesn't panic like most people would, but it would be a bold-faced lie to imply that waking up on the Marsiva did not come as a shock. The ship runs as silently as the Normandy, so at first he doesn't quite realize he's somewhere else entirely, but opening his eyes dispels that illusion quickly. He's on his feet in seconds, eyes wide and alert]

What the?!

[But the outburst ends there. Having a temper tantrum wouldn't change anything, after all. Instead, he switches to calmly assessing the situation. His armor is piled near the end of the bed and he sets himself to methodically gearing up, inspecting each piece before strapping or snapping it into place. The onboard computers seem to be functional, but his omni-tool and guns are gone. Not surprising for a kidnapping, but it makes him feel naked even with the armor. He lifts a hand to the back of his neck in another moment of mild panic for his implant port, and finds it in place nestled among the bristle of hair. Just to be sure, he flares his biotics experimentally, a shimmer of blue crackling briefly over his body. N

Not disarmed entirely then. Good.

With that, Kaidan moves to get a better look at his prison]

Broadcast

[Some time later, Kaidan sits in mess hall with his communications device, giving it something a skeptical leer. Physical keyboard...how antiquated. It feels a little strange, but it's nothing he can't deal with.

The idea that he's been cut off from anyone and everything he's ever known, however, less so.]

This is going to a shot in the dark but, is there anyone from Earth or the Systems Alliance here? This is Major Alenko, requesting a sitrep. Or...anyone really. I don't think who we work for matters a hell of a lot right now.

[Except maybe Cerberus. He can't shake the idea that the Illusive Man is to blame for this somehow, but he'll take what he can get.

He lets out a restrained sigh of frustration.]

Look...somebody has me confused with an extranet celebrity and I'm not...I'm not that guy. And if this about the war...I'm just one man. It won't stop us. It won't stop Shepard. So I don't know why I'm here.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[ it's an odd but common mix when you're abducted into a space reality show. ]

Go ahead. [ he nods ] There's pilot, lab, communications, security, maintenance, cook, personnel, and tactical, it all depends on which augment - [ tapping his own ] you ended up with. And then there are more normal jobs like bartender and stuff like that, if you want some extra money or just something to do with your time.

[He mirrors Winn's action by lifting a hand up to his neck with a mild look of disquiet. As if he really needed more things in his head]

I'd prefer to use it trying to break out of here.

Totally with you man - [ it's his number 1 project as well ] but it's gonna be a marathon not a sprint, and a hobby a day keeps the loony bin away.

Assuming I'm not there already. [The wry smile he gives Winn says that he doesn't entirely believe that. He gets it. They don't have shore leave for nothing.]

How long have you been here? [Because he's got a pretty calm attitude about this for someone who isn't familiar with space travel at all]

If your brain comes up with 'space reality show' on its own I'm not sure I want to pursue this acquaintanceship.

[ teasing is one of his major hobbies, and humor-deflection. hey, it works for him, sort of. ]

Oh man let me see - it's my...ninth month here. [ and he was definitely the opposite of calm when he showed up. ]

[That gets another soft laugh out of him] Hey, in my defense, the space part is kind of assumed.

[Ninth months throws quite a bit into focus, though, and in an almost painful fashion.

He lets out a breath instead of cursing.]

That's...a long time.

You got a leg up on a lot of us there.

[ most of his initial freak out revolved around being in space. ]

It goes by faster than you think - which is equal parts comforting and horrifying, I know, but maybe right now focus on the comforting. Some people hang around longer, some people are gone much faster, haven't figured out the formula yet - you'd think being really boring to watch would do it, but that's also really boring to live and might get it in the Atroma's heads that you need some stirring up, and you don't wanna get anything in their heads.

It's not that I'm worried about getting bored. I'm worried about...what I'm gonna miss.

[And he can't help his voice choking up a little on that last word.]

Stirring up? How so?

Well the theory is - you're not gonna miss anything. As far as we know people who go back get dropped off right where they left off. So, there's that for the good news section...on the bad side, the Atroma like messing with us. Popular choices include waking up the wrong sex or age. Duration varies. People call that 'glitches' but that's a bad name, they're purposeful plays.

[There's a heavy pause after that as Kaidan simply stares back. He doesn't look especially shocked but it's obvious the wheels are turning in there somewhere.]

Normally I'd say any of that was impossible, but...being here in the first place throws that right out the window. [Mind control was one thing, if the implants were anything to go by, but changing a person's body on a whim jumped straight to a kind of genetic or time manipulation he could barely even comprehend. His estimation of the Atroma as a threat jumps up a few levels in his mind]

When you say...'as far as we know'? What evidence do you have?

Yeah, the word 'impossible' should be stricken from your vocabulary.

[ he nods, with a sympathetic look. it's hard and confusing and maybe he shouldn't have thrown all of this at this guy as he's just arriving but what's done is done.

winn's own theory leans towards 'virtual reality', it seems much easier to him to trap their minds than do all these improbable things to their physical form, especially considering how physically powerful some of the drifters are. but they're all theories and until they find one shred of evidence - one is as good as the other. ]

People who've gone and come back, or people who are supposedly from the same universe but from different times reporting that the other was present back home up to their last remembered point.

[He takes that in with a stiff nod and a slight frown.]

I wouldn't say that's definitive, but it's something. Something to go on. [Something to give him a little bit of hope. He's hesitant to lean too heavily on that emotion, but the tribulations of the last few yeas hadn't yet stripped him of his ability to feel it. If anything, being a part of the Normandy's crew had kindled it even more]

Thanks...for telling me all this. It's been...[Overwhelming. Insane. Intense.]...helpful. It can't be easy to have to keep walking people through this all time.

We're kinda short on definitive, you should just assume everything comes with a caveat.

[ here, have yourself a little smile. ]

I've been where you are - actually, no I think I'm still worse, I always have a million questions, you're easy, really - we're all stuck here together. The least we can do is help each other out. Don't worry about getting all the info right away, you'll just get overwhelmed, take it from the guy who spent his first day here looking for space Xanax. You can call me anytime when [ because let's be real here, there's no if about it ] you have more questions.

[Another short laugh] You got it.

Now if you don't mind...I think I'll keep looking around.

Go for it. [ he smiles. ] If you find anything interesting - [ pointing at the screen, pointing at himself. let him know. ]

✧ 01

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